Statistical averages

Overall

Fully evolved

Battle properties

Generation I

Offensive

Defensive

Power

Types

Power

Types

2×

½×

½×

None

2×

0×

0×

Generation II-onward

Offensive

Defensive

Power

Types

Power

Types

2×

½×

½×

2×

0×

0×

Characteristics

The Ghost type is the smallest type in the game, with few additions in each new Pokémon game. They are also unique in the fact that they have a type-specific attack: Curse, which, other than being the only ???-type move before the type was removed in Generation V, works differently for Ghost-type Pokémon than it does for other Pokémon.

Offense

Ghost-type Pokémon are used mainly to inflict status effects, like confusion or paralysis. Most Ghost-type moves cause some sort of effect or a status ailment. They are a good type to use in Pokémon battling, because of their possession of all-around good attacks, such as Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball. Also, there is no Pokémon that resists a combination of Fighting- and Ghost-type moves, as the only combination capable of this (Normal/Ghost) has never materialized.

Defense

The weaknesses of the Ghost type are covered by the resistances of the Dark-type, and vice-versa, so their combination, seen in the Pokémon Sableye and Spiritomb, has no weaknesses. However, this does not make for a perfect Pokémon. There is always the possibility for the immunities of the Ghost- and Dark types to be removed via certain moves, such as Foresight, Odor Sleuth, and Miracle Eye, creating a weakness, or neutrality in the case of the latter. The lack of weaknesses is also offset by the lack of any resistances beyond resisting Bug and Poison (uncommon types offensively) and the three immunities to Psychic, Fighting and Normal (which can be removed, as mentioned above).

Contest properties

When used in Contests, Ghost-type moves typically become Smart moves, but some may be Cute or Tough moves.

Pokémon

As of Generation V, there are 27 Ghost-type Pokémon or 4.16% of all Pokémon, making it the least common of the seventeen types.

Trivia

In Generation I, Ghost-type moves have no effect on Psychic-type Pokémon, though an abundance of evidence suggests that this may have been an error. Multiple sources mention that Ghost-type moves are super effective on Psychic-type Pokémon: official strategy guides published by Nintendo, two episodes of the anime (The Tower of Terror and Haunter versus Kadabra), and even the games themselves, where a Trainer in the Saffron Gym mentions that Psychic-type Pokémon "only fear Bugs and Ghosts" (though the reference to Ghost-type Pokémon was removed in Yellow). This was changed in Generation II to make Ghost moves actually be super effective against Psychic Pokémon.

Hex, however, will have a base power of 100 if the target is inflicted with a status ailment.

The Ghost type is the only type that, when paired, can have a double weakness to itself, through the hypothetical Ghost/Psychic pairing. Dragon, the other type that shares this characteristic, is super effective against only itself.

Generation V introduced the most Ghost-type Pokémon of any generation, with nine and Generation II introduced the fewest Ghost-type Pokémon, with only one. Coincidentally, Generation II introduced the most Ghost-type moves of any generation, with five and Generation V introduced the fewest Ghost-type moves, with only one.

The Ghost type is the only type immune to two types.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, most Ghost-type Pokémon can naturally move through walls. While on a wall tile, they cannot be attacked but can attack their foes, and their Belly empties at a rate of 5 per turn.